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Could houseplants help you sleep better? Here are 6 plants you need in your home.

Posted by Troy Garland on May 22, 2018

Could houseplants help you sleep better?

Here are 6 plants you need in your home.

We seem to look for extreme and unnatural ways to improve our sleep. Supplements, expensive mattresses, smart watches and special diets are often advised to help you sleep better. In the USA alone, people spent over $40 billion on sleep aids in 2015. But what if there was an easier way? A natural way that will also makes your home look amazing. The answer, plants! Who needs valium when you have Sansevieria trifasciata ?

Although it isn’t new news that plants are good for our health. People often keep house plants in their living room, offices and kitchens, but not in their bedrooms. Here is a list of 6 plants that will help you sleep better (and make your home look amazing too).

Lavender

A soothing smell often used in artisan soaps and hand-made heat packs, Lavender is also a great plant to have in your home. Lavender is cultivated extensively as ornamental plants for garden and landscape use, as culinary herbs, and for the extraction of essential oils. Several aromatherapy studies have shown the effectiveness of lavender oils and plants for quality of sleep. Owning your own plant also means that you have an endless supply of lavender flowers for you to create your own health spa in your bathroom and bedroom.

Gardenia

Gardenia is a flowering plant in the coffee family. Native to africa, asia, madagascar and the pacific islands. In chinese medicine, gardenia fruits are used for their calming and cooling properties. Some users say that gardinia can have a similar effects for sleeping as a low dose sleeping pill like valium. Although gardenias do not like the indoors, you can plant them around your home or outside a windows, allowing for the breeze to waft the flowers scent into your bedroom.

Areca palm

The areca palm has been researched by NASA when they were looking for air-purifying plants to use on the international space station. Dr. Wolverton noted that in 24hrs, a 6ft areca palm can transpire 1 litre of water; making a perfect humidifier. Humidifiers help with breathing discomforts often apparent in sleep apnea and also help clean the air of allergens. Electronic humidifiers are often used to help people sleep, so why not use a natural option that looks beautiful instead?

Snake plant

Sansevieria trifasciata commonly called the snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue, and viper's bowstring hemp is a flowering plant native to west africa. This plant is perfect for those who forget to water their plants, the snake plant only needs watering once every few months in cooler climates and can tolerate low levels of sunlight.

NASA Clean Air Study found that the snake plant has air purification qualities and can remove 4 of the 5 main toxins in the air. However, keep in mind that if you are a cat or dog owner, the snake plant can cause some harm due to the plant containing saponins.

English ivy

Native to European countries and western Asia, English Ivy - also called Hedera helix, European Ivy and just Ivy- is one of the best houseplants for your bedroom. Although it is a popular plant in some countries, it is labelled as an obnoxious species in the USA - especially in Washington and Oregon. English Ivy is a climbing plant, growing up to 30m on suitable surfaces such as trees, cliffs and walls. English Ivy is a natural air filter. It can reduce airborne faecal matter by up to 94% in just 12 hours. Yes, you read that right, faecal matter. It also helps with decreasing mold, which is a common cause of allergies. However, like the snake plant, English Ivy is also poisonous to many animals.

Aloe vera

Aloe Vera is An evergreenperennial succulent plant originating from the Arabian Peninsula. This plant has been used for thousands of years as a herbal remedy. It grows wild in tropical climates around the world and is a very easy plant to grow in the warm climate in SE Queensland. Alea vera cleans the air similar to the snake plant, emitting oxygen at night while you sleep. One of the great things about aloe vera plants is that they are almost indestructible - once you buy one cutting, you will soon have an endless supply of aloe vera. Aloe vera gel, found in the body of the succulent is used for minor cuts, burns, dry skin, sunburn and as a health supplement. An easy plant to grow with a number of great uses.